Latest from Gisborne

Hate to see habitat lost

Let’s make sure we do not make a huge, smelly, costly mistake spraying the river grass. How about we make sure it is the right thing to do for the environment and for the finances of this district? And if it is sprayed, do we know how long it will...

Any consultation, consent?

When did council discuss the spraying of spartina grass in the Taruheru River? I cannot recall any discussion — or was it one of those “working sessions” that are still unavailable to the public? As the spraying will bring about landscape and...

Middle East powder keg

As I earlier predicted, the Houthi rebels in Yemen appear to have “crossed the line” in attacking commerce in the Red Sea and Suez Canal. I believe that the Houthis will use the responses of the US and the coalition of interested parties against...

Turanga Health staff showcase courage, pivot to 'create spaces of solace' in face of challenges in 2023

The 2023 financial year was a year of two halves for Turanga Health where staff had to “make courageous decisions and pivot in real time”. In his 2022-2023 annual report, chief executive Reweti Ropiha said “the first six months, between July...

Te Aka Whai Ora giving Māori ‘strong voice’ in health system: TH board chair

Turanga Health chairman Pene Brown strongly approves of the Māori Health Authority which the new Government intends to disband. The authority, or Te Aka Whai Ora, was designed to give Māori a strong voice in the health system. Mr Brown, in Turang...

January heat yet to officially top 30 deg

Despite the heat and tar-melting of the past 15 days, Gisborne has yet to officially top the 30-degree mark. Unofficial private readings taken in the shade at Makaraka have seen the mercury reach 34 degrees, but MetService’s airport thermometer...

Mates share $1m Lotto win

A group of long-time friends are sharing the Lotto love after striking the million-dollar First Division jackpot on January 3. The seven will pocket over $140,000 each from their winning ticket bought online. Several years ago the seven mates opened...

‘Big blue’ heaviest marlin so far this season

The biggest marlin caught so far in New Zealand this season was landed last week in Gisborne by Daniel Laffey off the boat About Time. It was a blue marlin and weighed in at a whopping 281 kilograms — another indicator that plenty of gamefish are...

Five missions for rescue chopper

The Trust Tairāwhiti Eastland Rescue Helicopter was dispatched five times in the week to Sunday night, including to a crash in Waioeka Gorge (see story above). Other incidents the Gisborne helicopter was called to during the week started at 4pm on...

Earthy nourishment for the soul

The tantalising aroma of spicy lentils is nearly as satisfying as each mouthful. Enjoy this Every Week Tomato Lentils recipe from Eleanor Ford’s The Nutmeg Trail: A Culinary Journey Along The Ancient Spice Routes. Carrot and beetroot with tark...

Battle on the lake

Tairāwhiti paddlers are setting new marks before racing even starts in the waka ama national sprint championships at Lake Karapiro tomorrow. Self Storage Gisborne Horouta Waka Hoe Club has 264 registered paddlers competing at the nationals. They...

Boys’ High claim first win in two seasons to end drought

Thursday was a huge night for premier grade cricket at the Harry Barker Reserve. T15 Walker Shield leaders Coastal Concrete Old Boys Rugby beat the holders of all of the three first-grade championships, Bollywood High School Old Boys, by 13 runs and...

Two-day DJ Barry Cup begins at 11am

Today will be a big one at the Harry Barker Reserve. On turf pitches baked in 27-degree heat, the showpiece of Poverty Bay club cricket — the DJ Barry Cup two-day Premier Grade championship — will start at 11am. David Situ’s Breakers Horout...

NZ backs retaliation against Houthis

New Zealand has joined seven other countries in lending support to air strikes by the US and Britain on military sites in Yemen used by the Iranian-backed Houthi rebel group, in retaliation for its attacks on commercial ships in the Red Sea since...

Schrödinger’s Island: Taiwan election 2024

Gwynne Dyer Taiwan’s fate is as unknowable as usual, even though we know who the next president will be. William Lai, vice-president under outgoing President Tsai Ing-Wen, will almost certainly win the election today, because the two opposition...

Leave spartina grass in the Taruheru alone

John Wells Re: Spraying of Taruheru River spartina grass. Please stop this madness — the basis of this work is totally wrong! Rather than the early 1900s, the spartina grass was planted in the 1950s by community volunteers in collaboration with...

Planted to improve river

In November or December, 1964, the Gisborne Jaycees were tasked with planting spartina grass in the Taruheru River in front of the Botanical Gardens. The Jaycees were asked to do this as the Taruheru River was heavily polluted with all sorts of...

Don’t leave dogs in hot cars

I have recently had occasion to witness distressed dogs left in cars on two occasions. In the first instance on an extremely hot day, the windows hadn’t been left open sufficiently and the car wasn’t in the shade. I guessed that the owner would...